How Audrey Taylor Built a Legacy Beyond the Stat Sheet

Dublin — Audrey Taylor compares being a setter to being a quarterback: the one who commands the court. She’s been running the offense since she was eight, after a coach realized she had the instincts and size for it. Even so, head coach Andrea Baylin says it’s one of the toughest jobs on the team.

“I’ll be the first to admit I’m not always the easiest coach to play for,” Baylin said. “As a setter, she’s naturally had a ton of responsibility. Not just running our offense but also leading the team in so many ways.”

Having played a key role on varsity since her freshman year, Taylor has made a lasting impact on the Dublin Jerome volleyball program. She stands alone in school history as the only player to surpass 2,000 in any statistical category, with 2,230 career assists to date.

Taylor’s numbers jump off the page: more than 1,500 attempts, just 12 errors, and her teammates record a kill on over 40% of her sets.

Taylor says this achievement belongs to everyone, because each of them helped her get there in some way.

“I was only able to do it from the people around me. I owe like 50% of it to Mackenzie (Palumbo),” Taylor said. “I owe it to my passers because I wouldn’t get the ball without them. So, me breaking that record and reaching 2,000 is a show of everyone’s ability and contributions.”

After this season, Taylor will hang up her sneakers to pursue her dream of becoming a lawyer. She knows exactly what she wants and she’s determined to go after it.

In a world where athletes often feel pressured to chase glory, Taylor remains grounded in what truly matters to her.

“I’ve had interest from schools to play in college, but I never personally have been interested in that,” Taylor said. “I want to be a lawyer. I love volleyball for the fun of it, but I never really saw anything past high school for it.”

Taylor’s story ends the way she envisioned it. Her impact, though, reaches far beyond the stat sheet. She hopes to be remembered not only for the records she set, but for the culture she helped shape.

Senior Mackenzie Palumbo says their friendship feels more like sisters than teammates. When the energy dips, it’s usually Taylor who breaks the tension.

“Audrey is just always smiling and laughing, she keeps the mood light when things are stressful,” Palumbo said. “She is also just really funny. Songs will play on in practice, and she starts singing along or dancing.”

Within Jerome’s volleyball program, Taylor makes it her mission to ensure every player feels included. She knows the name of every teammate, from the varsity starters to the newest freshmen.

According to Coach Baylin, Taylor’s leadership and development have elevated the entire program. She says there’s no challenge too great for Taylor, and her admiration for her, both as a competitor and as a person, is beyond measure.

“Watching her grow and evolve over the years has been such an honor,” Baylin said. “She’s helped our team achieve some incredible, history-making milestones, and I’m so grateful she’s a Celt. I’m definitely going to miss her, but I know she’s ready for whatever comes next beyond volleyball.”

When asked about her favorite memory at Jerome, Taylor sift through many ones. Ulitmately, she settled on one that came during a tri-match against Olentangy Orange and Newark.

The gym went silent during their warm-ups, no music or energy, until the team started singing “Pompeii” together, turning the moment into their own team bonding.

“They didn’t play any music for us, so we started acapella singing Pompeii. Cami (Holden) started humming it, and then we all just started singing it,” Taylor recalled. “It was really funny, and we were really loud. Everyone was just really into it.”

Taylor will be recognized on Tuesday night, when Dublin Jerome honors its nine seniors before facing Worthington Kilbourne.

Taylor’s legacy will be measured in more than numbers. The stats tell part of the story, but not the whole of it. She hopes to be remembered as a leader, a competitor, and a role model for the younger players who follow her.

From what this writer can gather, she’ll be remembered as a record-breaking athlete, a loyal teammate, a resilient leader, the team’s source of laughter, and a young woman unafraid to follow her dreams.

Those are characteristics that transcend any athletic accomplishment. They are a testament to who Audrey Taylor is: Fully genuine.